CitiusTech is changing its leadership team as it prepares for its next phase of growth and transformation. The company has appointed Dhaval Shah as Acting Chief Executive Officer and Shyam Karunakaran as President, effective immediately.
The leadership changes come as CitiusTech continues to expand its work across healthcare and life sciences, with a growing focus on artificial intelligence, digital transformation and technology-led solutions. According to the company, the appointments are part of a succession plan that was already in place. Both Shah and Karunakaran have spent many years at CitiusTech and have held senior roles across key parts of the business.
Dhaval Shah Becomes Acting CEO
Dhaval Shah has been appointed Acting CEO after previously serving as Chief Business Officer for CitiusTech’s MedTech and Life Sciences businesses. Shah has been with CitiusTech for more than 19 years. During his time at the company, he has held several leadership positions and played a role in building its MedTech and Life Sciences businesses.
In his new role, Shah will lead CitiusTech as the company looks to build on its recent growth and strengthen its position in healthcare technology and artificial intelligence. Shah said the healthcare industry is entering a period in which intelligence will become increasingly important to how organizations operate and make decisions. He also highlighted CitiusTech’s focus on helping healthcare organizations turn technology and AI into practical business and healthcare outcomes.
Shyam Karunakaran Appointed President
CitiusTech has also appointed Shyam Karunakaran as President.
Before taking on the new position, Karunakaran served as Chief Business Officer for the company’s Healthcare Payer and Platforms business. He has been with CitiusTech for 17 years and has helped build and develop its Payer and Platform businesses.
As President, Karunakaran will take on a broader responsibility covering enterprise strategy, markets, growth, and execution. Karunakaran said he and Shah bring more than 36 years of combined experience at CitiusTech. He also pointed to the changing role of artificial intelligence in healthcare and the company’s focus on its Engineering, Intelligence and Agentic layers.
Rajan Kohli to Leave CEO Role
The leadership transition follows Rajan Kohli’s decision to leave his position as CEO by the end of August 2026 to pursue other opportunities. Kohli led CitiusTech during a period of continued expansion in healthcare technology and AI. In the company’s announcement, he thanked the board and employees for their support and said he was confident in the leadership team taking the company forward.
CitiusTech Chairman Dr. William Winkenwerder Jr. also thanked Kohli for his contribution to the company. The chairman said Shah and Karunakaran have played an important role in CitiusTech’s growth and currently lead more than 80% of the company’s business. Their long experience within the organization is expected to support continuity during the leadership transition.
CitiusTech Targets Its Next Phase of Growth
The leadership changes come as CitiusTech continues to focus on healthcare-specific technology and AI solutions. The company said it delivered strong growth in FY26, with performance in the top quartile of technology services companies. CitiusTech also said it has maintained strong momentum into FY27.
The company is placing particular emphasis on the growing demand for AI in healthcare. It says it is already working with clients to apply AI to real-world healthcare challenges and plans to scale these offerings while maintaining a responsible approach. CitiusTech describes itself as a digital and enterprise AI company serving healthcare and life sciences organizations. The company says it works with more than 140 enterprises and has more than 7,700 healthcare technology professionals worldwide.
Experienced Leadership for the Next Stage
The appointments give CitiusTech an internal leadership team with extensive experience across its major healthcare businesses. With Shah serving as Acting CEO and Karunakaran taking the role of President, the company will focus on continuing its growth while expanding its healthcare AI capabilities.
The transition also provides leadership continuity at a time when healthcare organizations are increasing their investment in AI, data, cloud technology, and digital transformation. CitiusTech’s latest leadership move signals its intention to build on its existing healthcare expertise while expanding its role in the rapidly developing AI-driven healthcare technology market.
